VBAM Games Forums

Hi! Brand new to the game, looking at running a PBEM for my friends.

I have searched the forum a few different ways and didn't find anything (although of course I may have missed it) so I figured I'd just ask - has anyone looked at methods of building a tech tree system for this game, rather than a linear development to a pre-planned fleet list?

I took a look at the Yahoo Group and I saw some versions built around using specific projects to either create new ship classes or upgrades to existing ship classes, which I like and will definitely use. But it seems like it would also be possible to do one using the various special abilities as researchable techs. Ie, you don't start the game with Shields as an option, but you can choose to research it as a tech project. Build in some techs being prerequisites for others, and it seems like you could get a fairly solid tech tree system going with this ruleset.

Has anyone tried anything like this? Any hazards to watch out for?

A bit more on the basics of what I'm thinking - a lot of this is very close to some of the things I have since found on the Yahoo Group as well.

Every year, the player can pick one or more technology investment projects. These work pretty much as described in the book for the normal tech advancement process. When you complete a project, in addition to to the benefit of the specific project you completed, your Tech Year also advances by 1.

Two projects I definitely am leaning toward are -

* Design a new ship class - makes it possible to Prototype the ship, followed by mass producing as normal.

* Upgrade an existing ship class - creates a new version of an existing ship class with additional construction points as granted by your current tech year.

What I'm sticking on right now is also wanting to have tech projects to unlock special abilities rather than just having them all be available out of the gate; and to have player decision-making involved on which things they choose to research, rather than automatically unlocking as the Tech Year progresses.

This is a cool idea! It could probably fit into the discussion we are having around tech advancement in Galaxies over in that forum.

The difficulty I would see is in defining the different "costs" for different tech projects effectively. VBAM's system of tech costs and effects is admirably simple and effective, so varying it can be quite hard.

Cool, will check out that thread!

I have cobbled together a tech tree out of special abilities from all 3 editions, in 4 broad categories. My current thinking is that each tech project will have a base cost of 50% system income, and that every point of investment in a project also goes toward general tech level advancement. Since it will be PBEM and I want to speed up things a bit I may also add a random element and do a roll for progression each turn based on how close you are to the goal as well.

Going to try this with my group, will report how it goes!